of milwaukee



7 June 7, 1932. M. P. JANISCH AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Dec. '7, 1928 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS hazards; whenever Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAXIMILIJIAN P. J'ANISCH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO STEELSTAM-I CORPORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, .A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Application filed December 7, 1928. Serial No. 324,469.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic circuit breakers wlth particular reference to means for automatically breaking the ignition circuit of a motor driven vehicle.'

The object of the invention is to prevent continued engine operation and reduce fire a motor driven vehicle is inverted or tilted to a dangerous angle at which a wreck becomes imminent. I

More particularly stated, my object is to provide a simple circuit breaker which can be included in the ignition circuit of a motor driven vehicle in such a position that it will not interfere with engine operation under ordinary conditions but will automatlcally circuit if ,the vehicle is inverted or tilted to a point where its center of gravity is near, at, or beyond, a vertical plane through the points of contact between the wheels and the ground on either side of 'the vehicle;

In the drawing Figure l-is a front view of my improved circuit breaker as it appears when attached to the dash of-a motor driven vehicle underneath the instrument board, parts being broken away to show the interior cavity and the circuit controlling liquid therein;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the circuit breaker, a fragment of the dash being indicated in section; 1

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view including also a fragment of the dash and showing the circuit breaker tilted to a circuit breaking position.

Like parts are identified by the same'reference characters throughout the several views.

A cylinder 1 formed of insulating material has a central cavity 2 which is partially filled with a body of mercury or equivalentv con ducting fluid 3. The ends of this cylinder are interiorly threaded to receive the screw threaded plugs 4 which preferably are formed integrally with cap nuts-5 and binding posts 6 with which the wires 7 and-8 of the ignit1on circuit are connected. Preferably the ends of the wires are extended through apertures 9 n the respective binding posts and secured in position by set screws 10.

The cylinder is attached to the dash board 12 in a normally horizontal position. It is secured in place by a band 14, the ends of which are outwardly turned to form foot pieces 15 adapted to be connected with the dash board by screws 16, as best'shown in Figure 2. The portions 18 of the band, he-

tween the ,foot pieces and the central portion which encircles the cylinder 1, are brought together 1n a parallel position and secured by a clamping bolt 19. The band is thus made to form a supporting or connecting bracket for the cylinder.

On the upper side of the cylinder 1 a plug 22 is inserted through the band 14 and the cylinder Wall and this plug hasan interior bore or cavity 23,0f suflicient capacity to receive the liquid 3. If desired,1the central portion of the cylinder maybe slightly enlarged or cut away on the upper side, as indicated at 24, to facilitate drainage of the liquid into the cavity 23 when the cylinder isinverted from its normal position.

It will be observed that while the cavity 2 is cylindrical in form the plugs 4 are threaded into its ends with their axes below the axial line of the cylindrical cav-- I ity 2, whereby each plug at its lower side is flush with the bottom of the cavity '2 and its top is at a substantial distance therefrom, whereby when the cavity 2 is filled with mercury to about the level of the tops of the plugs while the cylinder is in a horizontal position, the cavity being of larger diameter than the plugs 4, there will be a suflicient enlargement of the cavity above the normal level of the liquid to allow the liquid to shift toward one end or the other out of contact with the plug at the opposite end only during extreme tilting movements, whereasin all other positions permitting even a film of the liquid to extend from one end of the cavity to the other on the lower side, the electrical circuit will be maintained. This is a highly important feature of my invention, since otherwise the movements of the vehicle and shocks incident to travel along the roadway and which constantly tend to displace liquids in one direction or another, would be continuously interrupting the cirmanner. 'Asuificientquantity of liquid is 7 used so that the circuit will not be broken when in motion when turning corners when the car is insufiicient pitch at anysafe speed or on an inclined surface with to put it in jeopardy either or when at rest. But when 1 the car is tilted to a dangerous angle or when over but which is out of control and likely to will be desirable to i binding) it is thrown on its side, the mercury will flow to one end of the tube or cylinder 1 and the binding post at the upper-fend will be left without any electrical connection with, the" post at the lower end, the ignition eing thus broken. 7

circuit 7 If the car should be inverted, the liquid will flow into the hollow plug 22 and thus break the ignitionclrcuit, It will therefpre be obvious that theengine-Iwill be automatically stopped whenever the car is tipped out of running position onthe road, thereby eliminating, er at least reducing, the fire hazard and also preventing injury from being inflicted by revolvingwheels or by continued motion of a tilted car which has not tipped do so if its engine continues to run.

Occasionally a car may be tilted to a dangerous an 1e, stopped, and arrangements made for gui g it back to a safe posltion on the roadwa and under such conditions it provide means whereby the i ition circuit may be temporarily closed for t at pu se. I have therefore attached tofone end the cylinder 1,,or to one of the binding posts," a coil 25 of conducting wire of suflicient length to bridge the gap between i the two bindiniposts exterior to the cylinder 1, as indicated y otted lines in Figure 1'.

The bindin pos at the opposite end from that occu ief y the coil 25 may be provided wit a hook 26 with which the wire may be conveniently connected or, if desired, I the wire may be of suflicient length to enable it to be wound around the clamping screw 10. In either case, the wire may be Quickly uncoiled and used to temporarily bri ge the ignition circuit for the above describe urpose's. After the car has been successf ully restored'to the roadwa the wire may bedisengaged and recoiled upon or about the binding post to which it is permanently attached whereupon the circuit breaker will again be in functioning condition.

I claim: ,1. A circuit breaker for the ignition circuits of motor driven vehicles comprising an elongated chamber composed of non-conductive material, means for-supporting said chamber transversely of the ve 1cle with its longitudinal axis-horizontally disposed, ig-

in a position of horizonta for said liquid 1n communication with the central portion of the top \of said chamber and adapted to receive sa d liquid, when the vehicle is inverted, in such quantity as to bi'eak the electrical connection between the ugs. A V a a P2. The combination with the instrument board'bf a'motor driven vehicle, of an elongated circuit breaker casin secured thereto l extension along said instrument board, and provided w'th a longitudinally extending cylindrical re adapted to receive a quantityof mercury, ignition circuit conductors aving terminal plu threaded into the ends of saidcasing wit the erendsofthe l 4.1-. to the mercui"; at the bottom 0 said cy drical bore, a body uantity tomaintain a continuous electrica connection said lugs under all ordinary conditions of road wa travel, and a receiving chamber connected with the top of said casin and into which mercury may-flowc when t e vehicle is inverted. 

